Numerous drummers came and went until June of 1986, when Don Schmid joined to make it a permanent quartet. With the help of friend and local booking agent Robert Hodgins, the band cut its teeth on the prairie bar circuit. The combination of exciting live performances, well-received indie albums, and the continuous stream of demos caught the ear of Doug Chappell, President of Virgin Records, Canada, and with the help of managers Fraser Hill and Ed Smeall, The Pikes signed to the label on December 19, 1986.
In January 1987, the band began sessions at Metal Works Studio in Toronto with producers Rick Hutt and Fraser Hill, and they finished mixing at McClear Place Studios for what would become its first Virgin album, titled 'Big Blue Sky'. It was released in June of '87 and featured the singles "Teenland" and "Things I Do For Money", introducing the band to a wider audience and expanding the touring range to all parts of Canada and the USA.
Spring of 1988 saw The Pikes at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, NY. and later in Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec for the recording and mixing of 'Secrets of the Alibi'. The sophomore album had a more "live off the floor" feel, and the heavy airplay of single "Wait For Me" and "Hopes Go Astray" kept the band on the road virtually non-stop across the continent until the summer of '89.
Up to this point, the primary singers and songwriters were Jay and Merl, with the exception of some group compositions and "Hopes" written by Bryan. The Pikes third album Snow In June saw the blossoming of Bryan as a singer and writer, most notably for the hit single "She Ain't Pretty". In addition the album featured other hits, "Girl With A Problem" and "Kiss Me You Fool", and featured a star-studded cast of additional musicians - Garth Hudson, Crystal Taliefero, John Sebastian and Stan Szelest, as well as mixes by acclaimed engineers Bob Clearmountain and Hugh Padgham. Recording again in Bearsville and mixing at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, the Pikes spent almost six months working on the album, considered by many to be their finest.
After almost two years of touring to support Snow In June, the band began work on Neptune in July of '92 at A&M Studios in LA with Rob Jaczko as co-producer. Subsequent sessions continued at Metal Works in Toronto and Blue Jay Studio in Boston. From start to finish the album took exactly two months to record, mix and master¤ the fastest turnaround since their indie days- Released in November, Neptune featured the keyboard work of Ross Nykiforuk, also a native of Saskatoon and an on-stage addition for the Snow In June tour. Also featured were two duets with Margo Timmins of "Cowboy Junkies", one of which¤ "Worlds Away"¤ made its way onto an episode of the TV series "Due South". The album featured the singles "Twister", "Believe" and "Everything", and in December saw the band fly from one end of Canada to the other on a whirlwind tour promoting the record.
The spring of '93 saw the last tour for The Pikes, and the fifth and final album gig, recorded live during concerts in Montreal and Toronto. It featured 13 songs and showcased the raw energy the band always exhibited onstage.
The Northern Pikes played their final concert of this first era on July 2, 1993 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Their unofficial final recording session took place July 9, '93 in Don's "Fresh Vibe North" studio where Jay, Bryan, Don and Ross laid down the original tracks for the theme song to "Due South" written by Jay and Bryan. Shortly afterwards, the band disbanded.
However, in 1999, the band reformed to build a Greatest Hits package, called "Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993." On the subsequent tour to promote this album, the band decided to release a live work in 2000 ("Live"). This was followed by a studio album in 2001 ("Truest Inspiration"), and another in 2003 ("It's a Good Life"). A collaborative album with fellow Canadian artist Les Stroud followed-up in 2008. They've continued to tour over the past few years.
Out Of Love
The Northern Pikes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out on what was the love of my life
She was good to me, good to me
And I let her go
She always had me thinking
And I'm thinking again
Would I take a bullet for Jesus
Yes I would
Out of love
Out of love...
Ten thousand miles from your front door
And I'm still knockin'
Knockin'
Waiting for your door to open to me
It's crazy, yes I know
But this feeling has taken hold
And it's worked its way deep inside my bones
And I can't shake it
A day never used to pass me by
Without a thought of you surrendered
Held by your eyes and legs
You're wrapped around the great pretender
Who's fallen
Who's fallen
Fallen
Out of love
Out of Love...
The Northern Pikes' song "Out Of Love" is a introspective look at a failed relationship. The singer of the song is reflecting on a love that he let go, even though she was good to him. There is regret in his voice, as he thinks about what he could have done differently to save the relationship. The line "She always had me thinking / And I'm thinking again" shows that he is now realizing the importance of the relationship and what he lost.
The song then shifts to talk about the lengths that the singer would go for love. He says that he would "take a bullet for Jesus" and also for the person he loves. This shows a deep devotion and commitment to someone, even if the relationship has ended. The repetition of the phrase "Out of love" emphasizes this point and also shows the pain that comes with giving up on something that was once held so dearly.
The second half of the song talks about the singer's current state. He is still holding on to this love, even though they are separated by "ten thousand miles." He is waiting for them to open their door to him, even though he knows it may be crazy to hold on to this feeling. The line "And I can't shake it" shows that this love has worked its way deep inside him and is not easily forgotten. The song ends with a reference to the "great pretender" who has "fallen out of love," possibly referring to the singer himself and his realization that he has lost something valuable.
Line by Line Meaning
Last September I walked
In the past, during September, I left or ended a relationship.
Out on what was the love of my life
I ended my relationship with someone I considered to be the love of my life.
She was good to me, good to me
My former partner treated me well and was a good partner to me.
And I let her go
Despite her being good to me, I made the decision to end the relationship and let her go.
She always had me thinking
My former partner always had me contemplating and considering my decisions or actions.
And I'm thinking again
I am currently contemplating and reconsidering my past actions and decisions.
Would I take a bullet for Jesus
I am asking myself if I am willing to sacrificially die for my faith in Jesus Christ.
Yes I would
I am affirming that I am willing to die for my faith in Jesus Christ.
And I'd do that for you too
I am also willing to make a sacrificial act for someone else.
Out of love
My actions are motivated by love.
Ten thousand miles from your front door
I am far away, likely geographically, from my former partner's home or location.
And I'm still knockin'
I am still trying or pursuing to connect with my former partner even though I am distant and separated from them.
Knockin'
I am knocking, either literally or metaphorically, to seek communication or connection with my former partner.
Waiting for your door to open to me
I am hopeful and anticipating that my former partner will initiate contact with me and be receptive to reconnecting with me.
It's crazy, yes I know
I acknowledge that my feelings and actions towards my former partner may seem irrational or unusual.
But this feeling has taken hold
Despite my awareness of the irrationality, I cannot stop or control my emotions and desires to reconnect with my former partner.
And it's worked its way deep inside my bones
My emotions towards my former partner have become firmly ingrained or imprinted within me.
And I can't shake it
I am unable to dispel or get rid of my strong emotions and desires towards my former partner.
A day never used to pass me by
In the past, I never used to go a day without thinking about my former partner.
Without a thought of you surrendered
Thinking of my former partner was a habitual and frequent occurrence for me.
Held by your eyes and legs
I was emotionally captivated or held by my former partner and the way they looked and moved.
You're wrapped around the great pretender
My former partner is now involved with someone who is not genuine or honest, likened to a great pretender.
Who's fallen
The great pretender has lost their good qualities or kindness.
Who's fallen
The great pretender has become undesirable or unappealing.
Fallen
The great pretender has experienced a decline or a fall in their character or status.
Out of love
The reason why the great pretender has declined or fallen from grace is because of a lack of love or kindness.
Out of Love
The overall theme of the song is centered around a loss or lack of love in various relationships, whether it be with a former partner or a current one.
Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kristine Davis
I miss Merl!